Sister M. Norberta Streilly, IHM

Sister M. Norberta Streilly, IHM, of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary died on Sunday, August 21, 1960, at Marywood College in Scranton, PA.

She was born on April 10, 1900 in Pittsburgh, PA, and given the name Helen Catherine. She was the daughter of the late Francis Joseph and Mary Gertrude Cunningham Streilly. She entered the IHM Congregation on September 8, 1919, received the religious habit on December 28, 1919, and made profession of her vows on December 29, 1921.

Sister Norberta served as a teacher at the following schools: St. Paul School in Scranton, PA, from 1921 to 1923; St. Rose School in Carbondale, PA, in 1923; St. Joseph School in Danville, in 1942; St. Dominic School n Oyster Bay, NY, from 1924 to 1925; Marywood Seminary in Scranton, PA, from 1925 to 1927; and Sacred Heart School in La Plata, MD, from 1927 to 1929.

At Marywood College in Scranton, PA, Sister Norberta served as librarian, and the director of the Department of Librarianship, from 1930 to 1960.

Sister served as a local officer and a member of numerous committees of the American Library Association, the Pennsylvania Library Association, and the Catholic Library Association.

She was preceded in death by two sisters, Marie Lang and Margaret Burns, and two brothers, Ambrose and Norbert.

She is survived by a sister, Elizabeth Palmer of Santa Clara, CA; two brothers, Carl Richard and Raymond Richard, both of Pittsburgh, PA; and a number of nieces and nephews.

The funeral will be Wednesday, August 24, at 9:30 a.m. in the chapel at Marywood College. Interment will follow at St. Catherine’s Cemetery in Moscow, PA.

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Archival Remembrance:

When we think of our dear Sister M. Norberta, we doubtless recall the scholarly librarian and her nationally recognized librarianship. Marywood College library was Sister’s apostolate, and all who came in contact with her bear testimony to her superior ability, her thorough scholarship, and her magnificent devotion exemplified in her service to the library. Ill health was her companion for years, but it did not alter her attitude to work. In the last weeks of her waning strength her concern for the library was prayerfully set aside. God alone occupied her mind as she readied her soul to meet Him. Hers was no casual preparation. Her resignation to His holy will made a deep impression. She now set herself to the more important task of training herself to meet God’s final call. Marywood College has lost a nationally honored librarian; but all at Marywood have been enriched spiritually by the example of this valiant Sister who so holily resigned herself to God’s will.